Dweebs
GenreSitcom
Created byPeter Noah[1]
Written byPeter Noah, Various
Directed byPamela Fryman (9 episodes), Andy Ackerman (1 episode)
StarringFarrah Forke
Peter Scolari
Stephen Tobolowsky
Corey Feldman
David Kaufman
Adam Biesk
Holly Fulger
ComposerMark Heyes
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes10 (7 aired, 3 unaired)
Production
Executive producerPeter Noah
Running time30 minutes
Production companiesPeter Noah Productions
Warner Bros. Television
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseSeptember 22 (1995-09-22) –
November 3, 1995 (1995-11-03)

Dweebs is an American sitcom that ran on CBS from September 22 to November 3, 1995. It failed to find an audience and was cancelled after 7 episodes, leaving 3 unaired.

Synopsis

The show stars Farrah Forke as Carey, a technophobic woman hired to be the office manager of a highly successful software company named Cyberbyte, owned by Warren Mosbey (Peter Scolari).[2] Warren and the other employees (played by actors Stephen Tobolowsky, David Kaufman, Corey Feldman and Adam Biesk), were stereotypical nerds or "dweebs", highly intelligent yet socially inept, contrasting with the character of Carey.[3] Holly Fulger also co-starred as Carey's friend, Noreen.

Air dates and cancellation

Ten episodes were produced but only seven aired in the US between 22 September and 3 November 1995.[4][5] All 10 episodes aired the following year on Channel 4 in the UK from 29 June to 31 August 1996.[4]

Farrah Forke was fresh off her role as Alex Lambert on Wings. She and Stephen Tobolowksy would both appear together again the following year as part of the main cast of the sitcom, Mr. Rhodes, which was co-created by Dweebs creator Peter Noah. It ran for almost twice as many episodes but would also be canceled after only one season.[6]

Reception and similarities to later shows

The show gained a mixed reception from critics at the time. Variety felt the show had a future if the kinks were worked out.[7][8][9][3]

Back in 1995, a sitcom about nerd and computer maniacs was an original idea, and would later be successfully used in shows like The IT Crowd, The Big Bang Theory, and Silicon Valley.[10] An article in Vulture also compared the show to The Big Bang Theory and Silicon Valley and called it a trailblazer.[5] The article said the show was "quite possibly the first American sitcom to focus its attention on the tech world and the integration of computers into daily life" and was "practically avant garde for its time."[5]

The show was arguably very ahead of its time, released right in the middle of a booming interest in IT in the mid-'90s, and perhaps its early cancelation indicates it was too ahead of its time. As Vulture noted, the show "existed at a time when a substantial portion of America, but by no means a majority (or even close), was computer-savvy".[5]

Cast

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Pilot"Andy AckermanPeter NoahSeptember 22, 1995 (1995-09-22)
Computer-illiterate Carey takes a job as an office manager at a high-tech computer company and quickly realizes that she's in over her head.
2"The Privacy Show"Pamela FrymanBruce RasmussenSeptember 29, 1995 (1995-09-29)
Carey dates someone whom leads the jealous Dweebs to break privacy protocol when they conduct a background check on him and, as she soon finds out, on her as well. They attend a meeting at Carey's apartment to discuss boundaries, feelings and social interaction.
3"The Birthday Party Show"Pamela FrymanEric CohenOctober 6, 1995 (1995-10-06)
Carey invites her reluctant coworkers to her birthday party where they eventually break out of their party shells.
4"The Cyrano Show"Pamela FrymanBill BarolOctober 13, 1995 (1995-10-13)
Warren is contacted by woman through instant messaging and Carey responds for him in a flirtation manner. However, not everything is as it seems. Karl is selected for a NASA software mission into space.
5"The Bad Back Show"Pamela FrymanSydnie SuskindOctober 20, 1995 (1995-10-20)
When Carrie throws out her back and can't leave her apartment, Todd is made the temporary office manager, but he proves to be ill-equipped for the job.
6"The Crush Show"Pamela FrymanBruce RasmussenOctober 27, 1995 (1995-10-27)
Vic's jealousy gets the best of him after his negative actions towards Carey's boyfriend gets him in trouble. Warren suddenly becomes aggressive against a pushy contractor.
7"The Noreen Sleeps with Warren Show"Pamela FrymanSydnie SuskindNovember 3, 1995 (1995-11-03)
Warren is going to a film screening of a movie they did computer generated special effects for and he needs a date. Carey can't go so she asks Noreen if she wants to and does. And the next day she tells Carey that she and Warren spent the night together and can't help brag about his prowess in bed. Which makes Carey look at Warren a little differently.
8"The Karl's Crisis Show"Pamela FrymanEric CohenUnaired
Karl gets upset when his coworkers repeatedly harass him about his age.
9"The Bad P.R. Show"Pamela FrymanBill BarolUnaired
An off-the-cuff comment about software bugs leads to an overblown press scandal, so the company hires a public relations manager (special guest Wendie Malick).
10"The Actress Show"Pamela FrymanPeter NoahUnaired
The gang swoon over an actress whom they hire to star in a new CD-Rom game.

References

  1. ↑ Blevins, Joe (November 6, 2015). "Before 'Silicon Valley' and 'The Big Bang Theory', There Was 'Dweebs'". Vulture. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  2. ↑ "CBS Unveils Dorky 'Dweebs,' 'Bonnie Hunt,' Gloomy 'Gothic'". Los Angeles Times. September 22, 1995.
  3. 1 2 Hiltbrand, David (November 6, 1995). "Picks and Pans Review: Dweebs". People. Retrieved July 5, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "BBC - Comedy Guide - Dweebs". January 16, 2005. Archived from the original on 2005-01-16.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Blevins, Joe (2015-11-06). "Before 'Silicon Valley' and 'The Big Bang Theory', There Was 'Dweebs'". Vulture. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  6. ↑ "Mr. Rhodes". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  7. ↑ McCarthy, John P. (1995-09-18). "Dweebs". Variety. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
  8. ↑ McCarthy, John P. (September 18, 1995). "Dweebs".
  9. ↑ "2 NEW SITCOMS PREMIERE; 2 EXCELLENT DRAMAS RETURN". Deseret News. September 22, 1995.
  10. ↑ "Dweebs tv sitcom review on Comedy Series Info". sitcoms.frey-united.com. Retrieved 2023-05-14.
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